Senate Bill S10380

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10380
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 15, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in  relation  to  requiring  domestic
   violence coursework for requirements for certain professional licenses
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Section 7603 of the education law is amended  by  adding  a
 new subdivision 3-a to read as follows:
   (3-A)  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  COURSEWORK:  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL REQUIRE
 APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE AS LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST TO  COMPLETE  NO  LESS
 THAN  THREE CREDIT HOURS OF GRADUATE-LEVEL COURSE WORK RELATED TO DOMES-
 TIC VIOLENCE.
   § 2. Subdivision 2 of section 7607 of the education law, as  added  by
 chapter 436 of the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  During each triennial registration period, an applicant for regis-
 tration as a psychologist shall complete a minimum of  thirty-six  hours
 of  acceptable  learning  activities,  a minimum of three hours of which
 shall be course work in the area of professional ethics,  including  the
 laws,  rules and regulations for practice in New York.  THE COMMISSIONER
 SHALL REQUIRE THE COMPLETION  OF  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE-RELATED  CONTINUING
 EDUCATION OF NOT LESS THAN TWO HOURS AS PART OF THE MANDATORY CONTINUING
 EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSE RENEWAL. Any psychologist whose first
 registration  date  following  the effective date of this section occurs
 less than three years from such effective date, but on or after  January
 first,  two  thousand  twenty-one,  shall  complete continuing education
 hours on a prorated basis at the rate of one  hour  per  month  for  the
 period  beginning January first, two thousand twenty-one up to the first
 registration date thereafter. A psychologist who has not  satisfied  the
 mandatory  continuing education requirement shall not be issued a trien-
 nial registration certificate by the department and shall  not  practice
 unless and until a conditional registration is issued as provided for in
 subdivision  three  of  this  section.  Continuing education hours taken
 during one triennium may not be transferred to the subsequent triennium.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15559-01-6
              

 S. 10380                            2
 
   § 3. Subdivision 2 of section 7704 of the education law is amended  by
 adding a new paragraph (c-1) to read as follows:
   (C-1)  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  COURSEWORK:  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL REQUIRE
 APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE AS LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS TO COMPLETE
 NO LESS THAN THREE CREDIT HOURS OF GRADUATE-LEVEL COURSE WORK RELATED TO
 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
   § 4. Subdivision 2 of section 7710 of the education law, as  added  by
 chapter 443 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  During  each triennial registration period an applicant for regis-
 tration as a licensed master social worker or licensed  clinical  social
 worker shall complete a minimum of thirty-six hours of acceptable formal
 continuing  education.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL REQUIRE THE COMPLETION OF
 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-RELATED CONTINUING EDUCATION  OF  NOT  LESS  THAN  TWO
 HOURS  AS  PART  OF  THE MANDATORY CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR
 LICENSE RENEWAL. Any licensed master social worker or licensed  clinical
 social worker whose first registration date following the effective date
 of  this  section occurs less than three years from such effective date,
 but on or after January first,  two  thousand  fifteen,  shall  complete
 continuing  education  hours on a prorated basis at the rate of one hour
 per month for the period beginning January first, two  thousand  fifteen
 up  to  the  first  registration date thereafter. A licensee who has not
 satisfied the mandatory continuing education requirement  shall  not  be
 issued  a triennial registration certificate by the department and shall
 not practice unless and until a conditional registration  is  issued  as
 provided  for in subdivision three of this section. Continuing education
 hours taken during one triennium may not be transferred  to  the  subse-
 quent triennium.
   §  5. Subdivision 3 of section 8402 of the education law is amended by
 adding a new paragraph (c-1) to read as follows:
   (C-1) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURSEWORK:  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  REQUIRE
 APPLICANTS  FOR  LICENSURE  AS  LICENSED  MENTAL  HEALTH  COUNSELORS  TO
 COMPLETE NO LESS THAN THREE CREDIT HOURS OF GRADUATE-LEVEL  COURSE  WORK
 RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
   §  6. Subdivision 3 of section 8403 of the education law is amended by
 adding a new paragraph (c-1) to read as follows:
   (C-1) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURSEWORK:   THE COMMISSIONER  SHALL  REQUIRE
 APPLICANTS  FOR  LICENSURE  AS LICENSED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST TO
 COMPLETE NO LESS THAN THREE CREDIT HOURS OF GRADUATE-LEVEL  COURSE  WORK
 RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
   §  7.  Subdivision 2 of section 8412 of the education law, as added by
 chapter 486 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   2. During each triennial registration period an applicant  for  regis-
 tration as a licensed mental health counselor, marriage and family ther-
 apist, psychoanalyst, and creative arts therapist shall complete a mini-
 mum  of  thirty-six  hours  of acceptable formal continuing education, a
 maximum of twelve hours of which may be self-instructional  course  work
 acceptable  to  the  department.    THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL REQUIRE THE
 COMPLETION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-RELATED CONTINUING EDUCATION OF NOT LESS
 THAN TWO HOURS AS PART OF THE MANDATORY  CONTINUING  EDUCATION  REQUIRE-
 MENTS  FOR  LICENSE  RENEWAL.  Any  licensed  mental  health  counselor,
 marriage and family therapist, psychoanalyst, and creative  arts  thera-
 pist  whose first registration date following the effective date of this
 section occurs less than three years from such effective date, but on or
 after January first, two thousand seventeen, shall  complete  continuing
 education  hours  on  a prorated basis at the rate of one hour per month
 for the period beginning January first, two thousand seventeen up to the
 S. 10380                            3
 
 first registration date thereafter. A licensee who has not satisfied the
 mandatory continuing education requirement shall not be issued a  trien-
 nial  registration  certificate by the department and shall not practice
 unless  and  until  a  conditional registration certificate is issued as
 provided for in subdivision three of this section. Continuing  education
 hours  taken  during  one triennium may not be transferred to the subse-
 quent triennium.
   § 8. This act shall take effect on the first of January next  succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately,
 the  addition,  amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
 sary for the implementation of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.